Nonrun fabric and means and method for making the same



March 12, 1935. THIERFELDER 1,993,902

NONRUN FABRIC AND MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed Oct. 17, Q 1932 4 Sheeis-Sheet l v 1 m mamvwmyww mwmwwm wwmwk amwmmwwwam M wsabm m yv 1 YA I: :uv vv INVENTOR.

' 16mm AZ new/75M M! W WW ATTORNEY March 12, 1935. R. A. THIERFELDER 1,993,902

NONRUN FABRIC AND MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed Oct. 17, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 i i a INVENTOR.

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flaw- .4 ATTORNEX} Q WE GWE Q-m i2- March 12, 1935.

R. A. THIERFELDER NONRUN FABRIC AND MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 12, 1935. R. A. THIERFELDER NONRUN FABRIC AND MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING Tl' lE SAME Filed Oct. 17, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEY;

Patented Mar. 12, 1935;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I NONRUN FABRIC AND MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME Application October 17, 1932, Serial No. 638,092

10 Claims.

The general purpose and object of my invention is to provide a full-fashioned non-run hosiery fabric and a novel means and method for knitting or producing the same.

In the manufacture of full-fashioned hosiery fabric and more particularly a silk or like fabric, the interlocking loops composing the fabric are arranged in the successive courses and wales. As the loops in each wale are dependent one on the other for their support throughout the wale in the fabric as heretofore produced, a run will continue along the wale on the release of this support by the breaking of a loop in the wale at any point. The run progresses rapidly throughout the wale immediately after the break occurs and the hose made from the fabric is beyond repair and is usually discarded, being no longer suitable for wear even though otherwise intact throughout.

In accordance with my invention, I distribute 2 the support for selected loops in each wale between adjacent wales and thus retain the support for the loops should the thread break in any wale. A break is thus confined to the region in which it occurs and cannot continue along the wale to 25 damage the fabric as heretofore. The locking.

sections thus provided extend transversely of the on the breaking of the thread at any point in the 30 fabric.

fabric in the process of knitting the same, a regular full-fashioned knitting machine equipped with a transfer mechanism being employed, having added thereto the needle deflecting or displacing means of my invention to be hereinafter described.

In carrying out the objects and purposes of my invention, I distribute the support between ad- ,0 J'acent wales by means of laterally displaced loops extending between the wales and longitudinally distended or elongated loops in the wales, portions of the displaced or shifted loops being interlocked with the distended'loops in the adjacent courses. Thus the support for the loops in each wale is continued at predetermined intervals into the adjacent wales with the result that the sup 55 runs and is thus especially adaptable for hosiery The locking sections are formed in the manufacture wherein the run problem is a serious one.

The means which I have devised to knit this improved non-run fabric is novel and can be readily and easily incorporated in the regular full-fashioned knitting machine and operates automatically in the operation of the machine to produce the loop arrangement referred to.

The invention also relates to the improved fabric and to the matters hereinafter described 10 and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:--

Fig. 1 is a plan view on an exaggerated scale of a portion of my improved and novel fabric, the non-run locking sections being in every third 15 course.

Fig. 2 is a, similar view showing the displaced loops of a locking section extending to the left of the distended or elongated loops instead of to the right of such loops as in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the non-run locking sections in every other or alternate course;

Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive illustrate diagrammatically the various steps of the method for producing a non-run'locking section of my invention;

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional view showing the manner in which the deflecting points of my invention are incorporated in a regular full-fashioned knitting machine for producing the fabric of my-invention; v

Fig. 8 shows the needle assembly in front elevational view and in open or separated relation, the figure being taken on line 88 of Fig. '7;

Figs. 9 to 16 inclusive, show various positions of the needles and points in knitting a fabric of my invention; and

Fig. 1'7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 1717 of Fig. 14 to show a detail of construction to be hereinafter described.

In the fabric shown in Fig. 1, the non-run locking sections are in every.third course and are repeated throughout the length of the fabric or throughout such portion of the fabric in which it is desired to incorporate said sections. The latter extend transversely of the fabric, preferably throughout the entire-width. thereof, and for identification herein are marked A, A in Fig. 1. The fabric .comprises interlocking loops knitted in successive courses and wales, the courses extending across the fabric and the wales longitudinally thereof as well understood in this art. The locking sections A each comprise two courses of the interlocked loops and are thus crossed by all of the wales. Each section A comprises plain or regularly formed loops as 1, laterally displaced or shifted loops 2 and elongated or distended loops 3. The latter are plain loops in the previous course B extended to occupy the spaces left by the displaced loops 2. In elongating the loops 3, a side portion 4 of each associated displaced loop 2 is carried with the distended loop to the bight thereof for interlocking connection with the plain loops of the next course C where they extend through the distended loops. The displaced loops overlap the adjacent regular or plain loops 1 and are also interlocked with the plain loops of the course C where such loops extend through the plain or regular loops of course A. This formation continues throughout the course A and locks each displaced loop 2 in the wales between which it extends. In the particular form of knitting shown in Fig. 1, the displaced loops are locked in each two adjacent wales, this being brought about by having the displaced loops alternate with the distended loops 3.. Moreover, the distended loops 3 in one wale alternate with those in an adjacent wale, thereby having said loops re-occur at frequent intervals along each wale. With this arrangement distributed through the fabric, in every third course in Fig. 1, and in every other course in Fig. 3, the support for the loops in each wale is extended into adjacent wales to prevent the release of the support for all of the loops in a wale should the thread break at any point in the wale. Should a break occur in a wale it cannot continue beyond the first encountered distended loop 3 because the wale is there tied or connected with an adjacent wale by the displaced loop 2. Thus the wale in which the thread breaks is held from separating from its adjacent wales beyond the region of the break by the displaced loops 2 and a run is unable to occur. This is an important and vital feature of my invention and provides a non-run fabric so desirable for hosiery manufacture.

In Fig. 1 the displaced loops 2 in each course A are displaced to the right of the associated distended loops 3 throughout the fabric. In Fig. 2 I have shown the displaced loops 2 displaced to the left of the distended loops 3. Except for the position of the displaced loops with respect to the distended loops, the knitting of the two fabrics is the same, the adjacent wales being interlocked by the displaced loops to provide a non-run structure.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the displaced loops 2 displaced to the right of the distended loops 3, the same as in Fig. 1, but the locking sections A, A of the fabric of Fig. 3 are arranged in every other or alternate course. This makes the distended loops 3 re-occur in each wale at more frequent intervals than the knitting of Fig. 1, with the result that a break in a wale is stopped earlier than in the Fig. 1 arrangement. In both cases, the run is stopped within a few courses and thus cannot continue to an extent suflicient to be destructive. In other words, the breakv is confined to' theimmediate region where it ocours and cannot develop into a run to damage the hoseor other garment made from the fabric. The displaced 'loops could be arranged otherwise than shown herein. They could extend to the right of the distended loops in one course mands of the particular knitting pattern desired.

be tied or connected together by the displaced loops as herein described. In all cases, the locking sections would be separated by at least one course of plain or regular loops from which the distended loops extend.

In Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive, I have shown diagrammatically the method by which the fabric of my invention is produced. Two or more interlocking courses of regular or plain loops 1, l are produced in the usual manner of full-fashioned machine knitting. Certain of the loops of the last formed course, as for example every other loop, are then shifted or displaced laterally and laid over the adjacent plain or regular loops as shown in Fig. 5, thus producing the displaced loops 2 of the foregoing description. This is performed mechanically and in the operation of the knitting machine by the use of the transfer mechanism to be presently described. The next step is to produce the distended loops 3 and carry therewith the adjacent sideportion 4 of each displaced loop 2. This step is shown in Fig. 6. The plain or regular loops in the previously formed course and with which the displaced loops 2 are initially interlocked are drawn from the course in which the said plain loops are formed into the course of the displaced loopsto occupy the spaces left by the displaced loops. This is accomplished in the process of knitting the fabric and the side portion 4 of each displaced loop is carried with the distended loop by the needle which provides the distended loop. This is produced by deflecting the knitting needles from which the displaced .loops have been shifted into engagement with the associated loops of the previously formed course and returning the needles to their normal positions in the last formed course. After this step, the knitting appears as in Fig. 6, and the next course of plain loops is produced and interlocked with all of the loops in the course containing the displaced and the distendedloops. These steps are repeated throughout the knitting to provide the locking sections at such intervals as may be desired in the length of the fabric.

A form of mechanism or means for knitting the non-run fabric of my invention is shown in Figs. 7 to 17 inclusive. As illustrated, this mechanism is embodied in a regular full-fashioned knitting machine having the bearded knitting needles 5, transfer points 6, co-operating sinkers and dividers 7, 8 and knock-over bits 9. The needles and points 5, 6 are carried by their respective bars or supports 10, 11 arranged one above the other and movable toward and from each other in the operation of the machine. The deflecting points 12 of my invention are carried by the bar 11 and are arranged between the transfer points 6, as shown in Fig. 8. This arrangement alternates the displaced loops 2 in each locking course or section.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a knitting needle 5 in a descending position with a regular loop 1 thereon below itsv beard 13. This loop has tan formed by the needle in the usual 'manner of fabric knitting and is interlocked with the other loops of the previously formed portion of the fabric as shown. -To transfer the loop 1 from the needle 5 onto an adjacent knitting needle, the usual transfer method is followed. This is accomplished by lowering the points 6 to a positionin front of .the knitting needles-as shown in Fig. 9, whereupon the knitting needles are pressed against the points 6 to close the. beards 13 'of the knitting needles as shown in Fig 10.

The points 6 have longitudinal grooves 14 to receive the beards of the associated knitting needles and the latter have longitudinal grooves 15 below the beards to receive the lower ends of the points 6. When the parts are in these positions, the needles and points 5 and 6 are lowered in unison through the operative mechanism of the machine and the loop 1 on needle 5 is transferred to the associated point 6 as shown in Fig. 11. Every other regular "-loop is-so transferred and these loops and the previously formed portion of the fabric are held from downward movement with the knitting needles 5 as the points 6 enter the loops by the knock-over bits 9. The machine needles 5 between the points 6 are deflected out of the plane of needles by the protuberances 16 on the associated deflecting points 12 of my invention. These protuberances are outwardly extending hump-like portions at the lower ends of the points 12 and contact with the associated knitting needles 5 as the points and the needles are brought together. The protuberances 16 deflect the needles 5, the latter being made of spring steel and thus resilient, out of their normal upright positions to approximately the extent shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The beards 13 of these needles are not closed and they engage the loops which were previously formed on them in the knitting of the regular course of loops at the time the fabric was produced as in Fig. 9.

After every other loop in the course has been transferred to the points 6, as shown in Fig. 11,

the points and the needles are raised above the bits 9 and are separated as shown in Fig. 12.

,Those loops between the transferred loops remain engaged with their respective knitting needles as indicated in this figure. The bar 11 is then shifted ,endwise in the direction desired to carry the loops on the points 6 over the selected knitting needles 5. At this time the parts are in the relative positions shown in Fig. 12. The knitting needles are then returned to engagement with the points 6 to close the beards of the needles onto which the displaced loops are to be placed. In this action the projections 16 contact with the knitting needles from which the loops have been removed and deflect such needles outwardly from the machine into the position shown in Fig. 13,- at which time the empty knitting needles are positioned to enter the associated loops in the previously formed course of the fabric. The needles and points are then moved upwardly in unison to transfer the loops on the points 6 onto the engaged knitting needles and to cause the empty knitting needles to pass through the loops of the previously formed course, as shown in Fig. 14, the fabric being held against upward displacement by the sinkers and dividers '7 and 8. As the needles pass through the loops the displaced loops are transferred to the selected knitting needles, thus putting two loops on every other knitting needle, as shown in Fig. 15, and positioning every other knitting needle with its beards above the loops of the previously formed course as shown in that figure. Then the bar 11 is raised, carrying its'points 6 and 12 out of contact with the knitting needles and the knitting needles which have passed through the loops of the previously formed course are allowed to spring back to their normal positions in line with the knitting needles which have heretofore been in contact with the loop shifting points. In springing back to their normal positions, the deflected knitting needles carry the loops engaged therewith and elongate or distend such loops into the course of the displaced loops to occupy the spaces left by such loops in the shifting or transfer operation. The machine then continues to knit the desired number of plain loops before the non-run locking section is repeated in the fabric in the same manner as just described, except that the bar 11 is shifted, to alternate the distended loops in 2.1- ternate wales.

To provide proper contact of the projections 16 with the machine needles 5 on their grooved sides, the projections are made wider than the machine needles to span their grooves as shown in Fig. 17. To keep the needles and the projections engaged thereby in proper contact, the projections are grooved as at 17 to receive the machine needles as shown.

While I have shown and described an arrangement wherein certain of the knitting needles will be deflected for the purpose of engagement with loops of a previously formed course and to distend such loops in the manufacture of my improved non-run fabric, other means may be employed to displace these needles for this purpose and be within the spirit and scope of my invention. Moreover, I do not wish to be restricted or limited to any other of the details herein shown and described, it being obvious that the same may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of knitting a fabric, consisting in forming a course of loops in interlocking relation with the loops of a previously formed course, displacing certain of the loops of the last formed course over other of the loops of that course, distending certain of the loops of the previously 1 formed course into the spaces left by the displaced loops and carrying therewith portions of the displaced loops, interlocking the next course of loops with the displaced and the distended loops to provide a non-run section transversely of the fabric, and having said sections re-occur at predetermined intervals throughout the fabric.

2. The method of knitting a fabric, consisting in forming a course of loops in interlocking relation with the loops of a previously formed course, displacing certain of the loops of the last formed course over other of the loops of that course, distending loops of the previously formed course with which the displaced loops are initially interlocked into the spaces left by the displaced loops and carrying therewith portions of the displaced loops, interlocking the next course of loops with the displaced and the distended loops to provide a non-run section transversely of the fabric, and having said sections re-occur at predetermined intervals throughout the fabric with the distended loops 'out of alinement in the adjacent sections.

3. The method of knitting a fabric, consisting in forming a course of loops in interlocking rela- 7 informing a course of loops in interlocking relation with the loops of a previously formed course,

displacing alternate loops of the last formed course over the adjacent loops of that course, distending loops of the previously formed course with which the displaced loops are initially interlocked to take the place of the displaced loops and carrying therewith a side portion of the associated displaced loops, interlocking the next course of loops with the displaced and the distended loops to provide a non-run section transversely of the fabric, and having said sections reoccurat predetermined intervals throughout the fabric.

5. The method of knitting a non-run fabric, consisting in forming successive courses of interlocking loops and while knitting the fabric displacing certain of the loops in certain of the courses over other of the loops of such courses and distending loops with which the displaced loops are initially interlocked into the spaces left by the displaced loops and carrying therewith portions of the displaced loops tq provide nonrun sections transversely of the fabric at intervals throughout the same.

6. A full fashioned knitted fabric, comprising interlocking loops disposed in successive courses and wales, certain of the loops of certain of the courses being spread to extend over loops of the same courses in adjacent wales, and distended loops extending from the courses with which the spread loops are interlocked into the courses of the spread loops and overlapped by portions of the spread loops in the wales in which the distended loops are located, whereby the spread loops and the distended loops may be interlocked with the loops of the next adjacent courses to provide non-run sections transversely of the fabric and re-occurring at pre-determined intervals throughout the same.

7. A full-fashioned knitted fabric, comprising interlocking loops arranged in successive courses and wales, certain of the loops of certain of the courses extending over other of the loops of such courses in adjacent wales, and distended loops extending from the courses with which the dis- P aced loops are initially interlocked into the spaces between the displaced loops and interlocked with the loops of the adjacent courses, thereby providing non-run sections transversely of the fabric re-occurring at predetermined intervals throughout the fabric, with the distended loops in each wale alternating with the displaced loops in such wale.

8. The method of forming a non-run section for a knitted fabric, consisting in knitting two successive courses of interlocking plain loops, shifting laterally certain of the loops of the last formed course over other loops of that course, anddrawingcertain of the plain loops of the first formed course into the spaces left by the shifted loops and carrying therewith portions of the shifted loops.

9. The method of forming a non-run section for a knitted fabric, consisting in knitting two successive courses. of interlocking plain loops, shifting laterally certain of the loops of the last formed course over other loops of that course, and drawing the plain loops of the first formed course with which the laterally shifted loops are initially interlocked into the spaces left by the shifted loops and carrying therewith portions of the shifted loops.

10. A method of forming a non-run section for a knitted fabric, consisting in knitting two successive courses of interlocking plain loops, shifting laterally alternate loops of the last formed course over the adjacent loops of that course, and drawing the plain loops of the previously formed course with which the shifted loops are initially interlocked into the spaces left by the shifted loops and carrying therewith a side portion of the associated shiftedloop.

RUDOLPH A. THIERFELDER. 

